


Veritas Aequitas

by Apollynos



Series: Vanitas [2]
Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Battle of Marlas, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Canon-Typical Violence, Goodbyes, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Pre-War, Sad Ending, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:29:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22743289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apollynos/pseuds/Apollynos
Summary: "I promise you, I'll come back, just you wait." Auguste shot him a last promising grin as he swung onto his horse and rode off to Aleron, who waited for him.Laurent knew he wouldn't make it back. This was the last time he would've seen his brother and his father.
Relationships: Auguste & Laurent (Captive Prince)
Series: Vanitas [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1635271
Comments: 11
Kudos: 9





	1. Truth

**Author's Note:**

> Hey :D  
> This is a small spin-off to my FanFiction "Veni. Vidi. Cecidi ad vos..." where we will have a small insight of Laurent's last talk to Auguste, before he left for Marlas with Aleron.  
> The second chapter will be a small insight of his time between the after-math of Marlas and the events of Captive Prince.
> 
> (You can read it without reading the other FanFiction from me of course!)

„Laurent?“  
„Auguste.“

Laurent sat on the windowsill in his room, his legs pulled close to his body and his arms wrapped around them, his chin supported on his knees and he looked out into the courtyard garden of Arles. A gloomy expression lay over his face, he didn’t take his dark blue eyes off the window, he instead looked through the reflection to his brother. He couldn’t face him right now.

“Laurent-“  
“Don’t. You’ve come to say goodbye, I know, haven’t you?”

He could feel how his sharp sentence stabbed Auguste through his heart, how it hit him but they both knew that this truth could not be spoken beautifully. He heard his brother sighing heavily and could see in the reflection how he nodded weakly, then he said: “I came to say goodbye, it will not be a goodbye forever. I will return after the battle and then we can be together again; Like before.”

Laurent bit his lower lip, tried to hold back the emerging tears, his chest contracted and his shoulders were tense. Auguste shouldn’t say something like that; he shouldn’t say anything they both didn’t know how this is going to end so he shouldn’t leave him with empty hope.

Their mother had done exactly the same thing. She had told Laurent not to be sad and to cry for her, she would get well again and yet… He blinked away the tears, but one managed it to steal out from the corner of his eye and ran over his cheek. He breathed in quietly.

“Are you sure you don’t want to look at me?” Auguste asked softly and Laurent could hear the pain in his voice, then: “I know. I haven’t been around much lately but we had to concentrate on the upcoming battle and the enemy has almost reached out fort in Marlas, father and I have to leave now to support our soldiers there.”

Laurent shook his head when he heard this and closed his eyes, a sob escaped his lips, then he said loudly and with shaky voice: “Why can’t you stay here? Why do you have to fight? If they want their territory back, just give it to them? Why do have to fight a war because of this? Why must you risk your lives for such a triviality?”

He opened his eyes again and saw in the reflection how Augsute’s eyes widened and he looked at his brother, then he lowered his eyes and raised his shoulders. “I don’t know why either. I would have liked to have dared to form an alliance again and continue to have peace, there could have been so much other solutions for this.”

“Why did you not decide this?” Laurent asked bitterly.

“Father was against it on Uncle’s advice”, Auguste said.

Laurent nodded slowly. “But why do you have to go? Can’t father do this alone with his soldiers? He is the king after all.”

“Laurent”, Auguste said with a slight amusement in his voice: “If only it was that simple, but I am heir to the throne when father dies, it’s important as Crown Prince to show that one has leadership qualities in war.

“This is so senseless”, said Laurent and let his head sink against the glass of the window before turning his head slightly and looking at Auguste. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I also don’t want to go Laurent but I have to, I need to leave, they want me to lead the army”, Auguste explained.

Laurent pulled a face, then asked: “Are you scared?”

For the first time ever, Laurent saw Auguste’s face begin to fall, his otherwise optimistic expression in the clear blue eyes, shattered into something ominous. Laurent could see the sheer fear in his eyes and the worry on his forehead. Auguste’s lips were pressed together to a thin line, then he finally nodded. His long dark blond waves moved gently over his shoulder.

“I’ am afraid Laurent, very afraid even”, Auguste finally confessed. “It is a question of tactic who lives and who dies. I worry about my men, I worry about father and I worry about you, when we won’t make it.” He pressed out the last words between his teeth. It was hard to admit it and Laurent knew that.

“Are you worried about yourself too?” Laurent asked and continued to observe his facial expression. Auguste’s lips curled into a small amused smile. “Yes, I’m worried about me too, but family and the guard will always come first.”

“You’re too selfless”, Laurent said dryly.

“I know.”

Laurent smiled sadly at the broken sound he could hear out of his brother’s words. He had never seen or heard his brother like that before. Auguste was a person who clearly showed his emotions, he had always been that way but he had never shown the feelings of fear, sadness, worry and anger, it was only the positive emotions that he showed and where he wanted people to see them. He always kept the negative feelings under lock and key, even from Laurent, and for that he honestly admired him. Laurent had always shown his feelings openly and rarely controlled them, especially in front of people he felt comfortable with.

“I just have to leave slowly, father is waiting outside with the horses, at sunset we will ride”, Auguste said sadly. Laurent nodded understandingly.

“Would you look at me? I don’t want to leave knowing that we’re going to part like this”, Auguste said, leaving the thought of “We don’t know what will happen” unspoken.

Laurent finally turned and dangled his legs from the windowsill, laid his hands down on the pillows beside him and looked at Augsute. The big blue eyes turned to his brother, who had never looked so lost in his rooms as he did now.

It broke Laurent’s heart to see Auguste like that. He felt the tears coming up again and gave it up to hold them back, they ran down his cheeks. Auguste looked up and his eyes became painfully soft: “Laurent please don’t cry.”  
“I am so afraid Augsute, what if you don’t come back? What if something happens to Father and you? I’ll be here all alone and have no one”, it gushed out of Laurent and he jumped up from the windowsill and ran towards his brother, closed his arms around his narrow waist and pressed his face into the soft white fabric of his shirt. Auguste put his arms around him and buried his face in Laurent’s blond short hair.

“I know Laurent. I know, I’m terribly afraid too”, he said softly. “And there’s no shame in being scared, okay?”

“You don’t have to tell me that, I’m still a child. I am allowed to be afraid, more importantly is that you know that you are allowed to be afraid too”, Laurent replied sobbing and Auguste let out a quiet laugh. “You’re right my dear brother.”

“Just shut up now and give me a hug.”

“I can do that.”

*

“Auguste there you are”, Aleron said with a smile and came up to his son, patting him on the shoulder. Auguste smiled softly: “Yes, I took the time I had left to talk to Laurent.” He gently squeezed the hand of his brother, who had come to say goodbye to Aleron, and Laurent was able to make out a figure at the stables. Their uncle, he stood a little further away from the scenery and left the little family the moment to say goodbye.

Aleron looked at Laurent and smiled warmly, put one hand on the blond head and ruffled through the soft hair.

“You keep an eye at the fort, understand?”

“Understood Father”, Laurent replied smiling.

“That’s how I expect it from my youngest son.” Aleron grinned broadly and then let go of his head, lowering his hand to his shoulder and pressing it gently. “Goodbye Laurent.”

“Goodbye Father.”

Aleron turned away from Laurent and swung onto his horse, pulled the reins and caught up with the soldiers, waiting for him and Auguste.

Laurent knew that Augsute need to follow in a moment. He looked at his brother, who smiled encouragingly at him. “You heard father, just keep an eye on the fort for us”, Auguste said grinning and Laurent nodded with a mild smile.

“Please take care of you Auguste”, Laurent said to him softly and Auguste’s gazed became gentle before he nodded and said: “Of course. You can count on me, Laurent.”

Laurent looked up at him, then he rushed forward and hugged him one last time. Auguste hugged him back and then patted him gently on the back. “I have to go. I don’t want to make Father wait too long.”

Laurent just nodded, he separated from his brother and wiped away his tears with his sleeve. “Goodbye Auguste. I love you.”

“I love you too, Laurent, and I promise to come back. Just wait for me”, he said with a grin and swung himself onto his horse, then he rode off to their Father.

Laurent stayed behind at the stables and watched the troop riding off into the sunset.

In the direction of Marlas.

In the direction of the fort which had upset the whole life of Vere because two kingdoms were once one and now couldn’t agree.

The fortress that would seal the fate now of two nations.

Out of the corner of his eye Laurent saw his uncle standing next to him and putting a hand on his shoulder before he stroked his upper arm in comfort.

“I’ll be there for you Laurent until they come back”, his uncle said in a soft warm voice and Laurent nodded, then let his uncle pull him into a hug and gave in to his emotions. He couldn’t and didn’t want to be strong anymore because somehow he knew that this was the last time he saw Augsute and his father alive.

It was the truth, he knew that for sure.


	2. Aequitas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Marlas is shown.
> 
> *
> 
> TW for sexual child abuse. (It's not explicit but it's heavily implied)

He had been told to stay inside the fortress when his uncle had advanced to Marlas with him and some soldiers for reinforcements.

Laurent was still too young to take part in the war, which is why his uncle made sure that he was guarded in the fortress and not be let out.

But when the voice of Auguste had reached him outside the fortress of Marlas, he could not help but run out.

He had to see his brother. He need to. Now.

It was beyond his imagination what would await him outside the fortress.

He heard a guard yelling at him not to look, but it was too late.

Laurent had seen the full horror of war, the image that presented itself to him burned on his retina. He had run straight into the death of Auguste. His older brother lay in the dirt, his golden armor was lying next to him, had been stained with blood and the blade of a sword from the Akielon above him in his chest

Laurent could hear the terrible choked sound Auguste gave tormented as his life slowly separated from him.

“No!” Laurent shouted. “No!”

Behind him, the guard came to stand, embraced his upper body with his strong arms and lifted him up. Laurent fought back, kicked and beat the guard. He cried and wept bitterly for the brutal unfair loss of his brother.

No.

No.

No!

That couldn’t be true, that just couldn’t be true.

Not Auguste. Not his brother. Not his protector. No!

Auguste had fallen in the war. Why? Why did he have to die?

He had promised him to come back.

He promised it.

And now?

Laurent cried again, his body sank powerlessly in the arms of the guard, who had managed to bring him back into the fortress and depose him there, the guard tried to persuade him well and calm him down.

But it wouldn’t get through Laurent.

Laurent didn’t want to hear any of this.

Behind the guard in front of him, he could see through glassy eyes that the large wooden door swung open and his uncle cam in dismayed, he talked excitedly with one of the soldiers who was injured in the fight.

“King Aleron is dead. We should retire and let Akielos win. It’s useless to continue the fight. Our king and crown prince are both dead, as well as almost half of our soldiers; it just doesn’t help to fight any more, it’s like a suicide command!” Laurent heard the soldier say angry and his eyes widened.

So his father was killed, too?

He shut his eyes when a new gush of tears came out of them that he couldn’t stop right in time.

How could that be?

This senseless and useless war had taken his brother from him.

This war had taken away his father.

This war took everything from him. That Akielon man took everything from him.

With a single blink of an eye, his life resembled a pile of shards and he simply had nothing left but debris and a frightening void that remained behind.

“Laurent, my dear nephew, I am so sorry for your loss”, he heard his uncle say, but Laurent didn’t really listen anymore. He wanted to grieve. Alone. He had lost everything he had. All of it.

“You promised”, he whispered bitterly to himself and his eyes were turned down to the ground.

*

Who believed that it was easy to follow in the footsteps of the older brother at that age, if one was an otherwise quite carefree child and had no obligations to the succession to the throne, since the probability was very low that what would happen to the king and the crown prince, had been mistaken.

Especially here in Arles.

The month after the loss in Marlas were a horror.

It was a terrible time for everyone but especially for Laurent. He was thrown straight into the council, with expectations of succession to the throne all of a sudden, even though he could only take his inheritance at the age of 21, and it had been a long time until then, but he had to be prepared for it.

And no one inferior to his uncle should help him with that. Serving him now as a regent.

With this decision, with this bitter loss, a gate was opened, which guided Laurent through his personal hell – He hadn’t wanted to imagine this hell in his worst dreams.

*

Laurent ran disoriented through the great corridors of Arles.

It was dark and everything around him was already asleep, at least that’s what he thought.

Tears ran down his cheeks, wetted his pale, fine skin.

His eyes looked pale and empty.

He was heavily carried back to his rooms by his thin legs.

The golden jewelry weighed heavily on his body and threatened to tear him down.

He soaked the air heavily in and held back further tears with iron strength. He had learned not to cry any more when this happened, but there were nights when his tears wanted to break out.

And he himself had no strength to hold them further back.

Upon arriving at his room, he pressed the heavy dark and richly decorated wooden door open. He dragged himself in and let the door fell into the lock behind him.

His legs gave away under him and he sinks down to the ground at the door.

Trembling, he pulled his legs to him and held his fists against his temples.

A loud sob rolled over his lips and his body collapsed, his tension dropped from him and turned into a pitiful trembling state.

Painfully, his heart contracted in his chest.

_Oh my lost child, no one will be able to tell you who are the good or the bad one here at the court. Except for me._

Laurent pinched his eyes and whimpered miserably.

Make it stop, he didn’t want to hear or see that anymore.

When will this stop?

_You’ve tried so many times to banish yourself from me and every time you’ve burned your heart on my anger; but I’m already firmly in your head, shaping your personality for my needs._

“Shut up”, Laurent whispered desperately.

_I dive into your soul all the time and use you for my pleasure. You fought back so vehemently at first and yet you gave yourself up to me. You say I blind your senses? Kid, look at you, you wanted it that way. You’re so beautiful when you moan like this._

“It’s all lies. Stop it”, exclaimed Laurent and a heart-breaking sob escaped his lips. He opened his eyes and looked into the empty dark room in front of him.

It was just a fantasy. He just imagined all this, like so many things, he supposed.

_This is our little secret Laurent. And now go and clean yourself up._

*

Laurent was now 19.

At the court all spoke of him as frigid and cold-blooded.

He doesn’t listen to them anymore. He knew how the people thought about him. He knew he wasn’t the darling of the people in Arles and he knew he couldn’t get to his brother.

He would never be like Auguste.

Bitterly he closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

Auguste, you’d be so disappointed if you saw me now, he thought to himself and lifted his forearm over his eyes.

He vehemently fought down the rising tears, which slowly accumulated. He bit down his lower lip. It was so long ago now and yet he was still lying sometimes in his room, weeping over the loss of his older brother.

So much had happened over the years. So much horrible had happened.

He sobbed heavily and turned to his side, took his pillow and pulled it to himself to look for the necessary comfort, which he had not received in years.

I’ am here for you. I’ll take care of you, echoing his uncle’s toxic words back in his head.

“You lied. Just like everyone lied to me”, he said firmly and pressed his face against the pillow.

No one’s ever meant it.

Auguste had broken his promise.

His father had lied about being there for him.

His uncle had lied.

Everybody was lying and breaking promises.

He took a deep breath and sat up. Wiped his shirt sleeve over his eyes. He looked miserable, was sure of this.

There was a soft knock on the door.

“Come in”, he said, looking over at the door, which opened and one of the maids stepped in.

“My prince, you are expected by your uncle in the hall. There’s something he wants to show you”, the girl said to him with her head tilted.

“Thank you. I’ll join him in a moment”, he said coldly and his gaze hardened.

So his uncle wants to show him something in the halls? Laurent shook his head in bored amusement and stood up. He walked over to his closet and took his jacket out of it. He put the dark blue fabric on and let the maid make the lacing on the back while he took care of the lacing on his sleeves.

He put on his boots when he was fully laced up and stepped out.

Elegant and confident in a dangerous way, cool and arrogant, he raised his chin and then went along the corridors into the large hall, where his uncle was already waiting for him.

“There you are my nephew. I have something to show you, a gift from Akielos”, his uncle said happily and Laurent skeptically raised an eyebrow and sat on the throne.

“What is it?” He asked bored.

“See for yourself”, his uncle replied, nodding his head towards the door.

The large wooden doors were swung open and a man came in, holding a golden chain in his hand, behind him ran a much larger man, tanned skin, dark hair and an aggressive look in his eyes. He had been gagged, and he had heavy golden cuffs around his neck and wrists.

“He is your pet Laurent. Damen”, said his uncle with a diabolical smile on his lips.

Laurent was frozen as his eyes met that of the pet. His pet. _Damianos._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3 Feedback in any from is very appreciated.   
> *  
> Next Part of this series is called "Memento Mori" and it's about Nikandros and his wife after the "Death" of Damianos. How's life is going on in Akielos without Damianos and with Kastor as new ruler.


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